There are many Philadelphians who would normally be irked with the reputation that Philly sports fans have for booing but who will nonetheless be hoping Flyers fans live up to the rep this Saturday at the Wachovia (for now) Center where Gov Sarah Palin was invited by her best Philly pal Ed Snider to drop the ceremonial first puck at the Flyers home opener. From Philly.com’s Decision:November 4 blog:

Sarah Palin will make a center-rink appearance at the Flyers game Saturday, where she will drop the puck at the ceremonial face-off.

My question is how will she be received? This is Philly, and we, don’t forget, boo Santa Claus. Will the GOP buy up all the seats? Are hockey fans all Reagan Democrats?

And are the Flyers taking a risk by doing what appears to be a  political endorsement? As they say, wait and we shall see.

Here’s the opening paragraphs of the press release…

Philadelphia, PA “ October 8, 2008) Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the nation™s most popular hockey mom, will join the winner of the Philadelphia Flyers regional search for the œUltimate Hockey Mom contest and drop the puck at the ceremonial opening face-off as the home team Flyers host the New York Rangers at the Wachovia Center on Saturday, October 11 at 7 p.m.

 œBecause of the tremendous amount of publicity she has brought to our sport, we invited the most popular hockey mom in North America to our home opener to help us get our season started, said Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider who founded the Flyers in 1967. œWe are very excited she has accepted our offer and we are very proud of the publicity she is generating for hockey moms and the sport of hockey.
 
The Flyers have been searching for the ultimate hockey mom in the Greater Philadelphia Region through an on line contest which asked hockey players or hockey moms themselves to submit their hockey mom poster to the team. 
Hockey moms and players were encouraged to submit posters showing their hockey mom pride and their loyalty and dedication to the sport via the team™s website, philadelphiaflyers.com, by October 7.  The team will award all hockey moms entered into the contest with a free “puck-er peach” lipstick and four tickets to a Philadelphia Phantoms hockey game. The winner will appear on the ice with Palin for opening face-off.

The McCain campaign operatives should have thought twice before vetting this appearance as even if Gov Palin is escorted by Bernie Parent and Pelle Lindberghs widow to center ice while waving a BEAT L.A. banner, unless Snider decides to have security confiscate all camera cell-phones, this is only going to lead to yet another embarrassment for the cluelessly flailing McCain campaign that will be all over YouTube.